Knockdown shipping box or crate



D. LOWENHAUPT AND C. D. ROWE.

KNOCKDOWN SHIPPING BOX OR CRATE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-10, 1920.

1,379,196, Patented May 24,1921.

2 2 SH d 1 EETS SHEET] D. LOWENHAUPT AND C. D. ROWE. KNOCKDOWN SHIPPING BOX 0R CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJO, I920.

1 379 1 96 Patented May 24, 1921. 1 (w 4 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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V V l7 I 9 M I 5 12 Q Q I Q A g l g .9 g I S a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. I t DANIEL LOWENHAUPT AND CHARLES D. ROWE, 0F MOUNT VERNON, INDIANA.

KNOCKDOWN SHIPPING BOX 0R CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application filed August 10, 1920. Serial No. 402,531.

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL LowEN- HAUPT and CHARLES D. ROWE, citizens of the United States, both residing at the cityof Mount Vernon, in the county of Posey and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown. Shipping Boxes or Crates, of which the either end and complete security when closedv and sealed; second, an improved tongue and groove corner piece construction enabling the sides to be assembled or disconnected-by a sliding action without requiring the use of nails or other fastenings when the ends are in position; third, an improved side and end construction comprising box board and reinforcing corner pieces of wood, combined with braces for the box board sides and ends whereby the box boards are strengthened and the construction is rendered relatively light; fourth, an improved construction whereby the ends are connected to the sides by the braces and bolts or pins provided with seals so that the consignee may know that the box or crate has not been opened.

' @ur invention is susceptible of modification without departing from its essential principles and the disclosure in the drawings and by way of the following description is to be considered as illustrative, instead of restrictive, of the scope of theinvention. f

ltn the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the com plete box or crate in sealed condition;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, the end of the box being removed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking toward the inner face of the end which has been re moved;

Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section through Fi 1- ig.5 is a detail perspectiveof one of the corner pieces, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the braces.

The box or crate com rises unitary sides 1 and unitary ends 2. ne' of the unitary ends appears in Fig. 3 looking toward the inner face thereof.

Each side 1 comprises a strip or panel of box board 3, corner pieces 4, and brace extending longitudinally of the box board panel 3 and fastened thereto by internal staples or other fastening means 6. The ends 5 of the braces 5 projectbeyond the ends of the box board panel 3 and are, adapted to enter.the openings or slots 7 in the frame members 8 of'the ends 2. Bolts 9 pass through openings 10 in the frame members Sand through openings 11 in the ends 5*, thereby securing the end sections 2 to the side sections 1. Seals 12 are employed for locking the bolts 9 so that the consignee maybe assured that the box or crate has not been opened. It is within the A spirit of ourv invention to provide cross keys or cotters in lieu of the seals 12.

One of the corner pieces 1 is provided with a dovetailed channel 13 to receive a dovetail 14 on the other corner piece or rail 4.

so u

another side of the crate, will have dovetails v 14 adapted to be received in the channels 13. Thus, each side 1 is a completeand self-contained unit which is slidably connected to two of theremaining sides and, by the mere act of sliding the sides in relation to each other, they maybe connected or I disconnected.

The end sections 2* comprise the frame pieces 8 whichare connected by a mortise and t-enon joint 15, a panel of box board 16, and a brace 17 which has its ends seated in recesses in two of theframepieces 8. The slots 7 are provided in each of the framepieces 8 and receive the ends 5? as hereinbefore described.

The complete box or crate appearsas in Figs. 1 and 4. The box board panels 3 and 16 constitute a sealed container for whatever goods is to be shipped. The braces 5 and 17 prevent any breaking out of the box board panels. The corner pieces 4 provide strong corners for the box body. The ends 2 prevent any crushing of the crate as they are solid frames. We do not limit to. the

' use of box board for the panels 3 and 16 nor i 8. The purpose is to form the panels of relatively thin and light material and to reinforce them by rigid frames and corner pieces. Each side is unitary and each end is unitary, so that the sides may be disconnected by sliding the corner pieces 4 of one side in relation to those of another side until they are completely detached, but this sliding action is prevented when the ends 2' are in position. When the sides and ends are disconnected they may be stacked on each other for reshipment of the crate in knock-down condition. To obtain access to the interior of the crate, it is only necessary to remove one of the ends 2.

The box can then remain on end, in upright position and serve as a container for 'as long as desired.

What we claim is:

1. A knock-down boX or crate comprising sides each having a corner strip and a brace,

awrence the corner strips having slidably detachable connecting means whereby one side is connected to another side, the braces having projecting ends, and, ends for the box or crate which have openings detachably receiving the projecting ends of the braces.

2. A knock-down box or crate comprising sides each having a corner strip and. a brace, the corner strips having slidably detachable connecting means whereby one side is connected to another side, the braces having projecting ends, ends for the box or crate which have openings-detachably receiving the projecting ends of the braces, detachable bolts passing through the projecting ends of the braces, and means for securing the bolts against detachment.

In testimony whereof we afi'ix our sig- DANIEL LOWENHAUPT. QHARL-ES D. ROWE.

natures. 

